Crowd control barrier

Abstract

A barrier module having an elongate hollow base portion adapted to rest on the ground or equivalent surface and to be filled with liquid, preferably water. The module also includes an elongate upper portion disposed above the base portion, and a wall the base portion and the upper portion and forming a barrier to prevent passage of persons therebetween. The upper portion has an outwardly and downwardly curved upper surface extending from one side of the wall means to the other side of the wall means to make gripping of the upper portion difficult, thereby inhibiting scaling of the barrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A barrier module including: an elongate hollow base portion adapted to rest on the ground or equivalent surface and to be filled with liquid, preferably water;   an elongate upper portion disposed above said base portion; and   wall means connecting said base portion and said upper portion and forming a barrier therebetween, said base portion and said upper portion being of greater lateral dimension than said wall means and said upper portion having an outwardly and downwardly curved upper surface extending from one side of said wall means to the other side of said wall means to make gripping of said upper portion difficult thereby to inhibit scaling of said barrier module, said wall means including a plurality of spaced apart elongate members or portions extending upwardly from said base portion to said upper portion and adapted to generally prevent passage of persons therebetween and said base portion having a curved upper surface extending outwardly and downwardly away from said elongate members or portions to inhibit persons obtaining a foothold thereon.   
     
     
       2. A barrier module according to claim 1, wherein said upper portion is substantially cylindrical in form. 
     
     
       3. A barrier module according to claim 1, wherein said base portion is substantially semi-cylindrical in form. 
     
     
       4. A barrier module according to claim 1, wherein said elongate members or portions are shaped to allow visibility of the area on one side of and beyond the barrier module to a viewer standing on the other side whereby the viewer can determine the size, state of agitation and other relevant aspects of a crowd on one side of the barrier module for the purpose of crowd control from a protected position on the other side of said barrier module. 
     
     
       5. A barrier module according to claim 4, wherein said elongate members or portions are elliptical or oval in cross-section and the major axis of said elliptical or oval cross-section is generally perpendicular to said wall means. 
     
     
       6. A barrier module according to claim 1, wherein said upper portion and said elongate members or portions are hollow and in liquid communication with said base portion. 
     
     
       7. A barrier module according to claim 1, including coupling means for coupling one module to adjacent modules. 
     
     
       8. A barrier module according to claim 7, wherein said coupling means is adapted to prevent release of an intermediate module from the adjacent modules. 
     
     
       9. A barrier module according to claim 8, wherein said coupling means includes a pair of aligned downwardly directed upper and lower pins provided at one end of the module and complementary aligned upper and lower sockets provided at the other end, whereby in use, the pins of one module may engage in the respective sockets of an adjacent barrier module. 
     
     
       10. A barrier module according to claim 9, wherein said coupling means is arranged such that the end elongate member or portion of one module is spaced from the end elongate member or portion of the adjacent module by substantially the same distance as the elongate members or portions of each module. 
     
     
       11. A barrier module according claim 1, wherein said base portion is shaped at its ends to allow pivoting movement of adjacent modules in the horizontal plane. 
     
     
       12. A barrier module according to claim 11, wherein the ends of said base portion are curved to allow pivoting movement through an angle of approximately 45 degrees. 
     
     
       13. A barrier module according to claim 12, wherein the upper surfaces of said base portion at the respective ends are substantially part-spherical in form and the respective ends of said upper portion are substantially hemispherical in form and adapted to abut the opposed ends of the base portion and upper portion of an adjacent barrier module respectively. 
     
     
       14. A barrier module according to claim 1, wherein the overall height of the barrier is approximately 2100 mm or greater. 
     
     
       15. A barrier module according to claim 14, wherein said base portion is semi-cylindrical about a base wall having a diametral dimension of about 1200 mm in the lateral direction and having its curved face uppermost, and said upper elongate section is cylindrical in form having a diameter of about 600 mm with its curved undersurface being connected to said plurality of elongate members medially of its width. 
     
     
       16. A barrier module according to claim 1, wherein said upper portion comprises a cylindrical roller or a plurality of cylindrical rollers operatively connected to said wall means for rotation about an axis or axes extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said elongate base portion.